


Soundwave's Turn

by silberstreif



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Character Study, Gen, TF_Flash_Challenge_2016
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-29
Updated: 2016-10-29
Packaged: 2018-08-27 19:26:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8413753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silberstreif/pseuds/silberstreif
Summary: Soundwave defines loyalty, it's his very core. And yet, when the Great War dawned he became the biggest traitor of all. This is his story.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Late to one's own challenge, a shining example I'm not. But then my RL changed a lot in the last 6 weeks. And it's better late than never, right? ;)
> 
> Beta: Starfire201 - thanks for the quick help!
> 
> Chapter 1, used prompt: A cold room.

 

They stood in front of a multitude screens, all of them depicting energon protests taking place all over Cybertron. Most were still peaceful, but Kaon had abandoned that lofty notion a metacycle ago, leading to the storming of its administrative building today.

Next to Soundwave, Senator Ratbat stood with crossed arms. "Isn't it nice to see a plan coming to fruition?" he asked with a smile. "As uneducated and illiterate they are, they cannot express their scorn in any other way but with their fists, trying to destroy everything they blame for their circumstances and never expecting that they themselves might be just a tool in a bigger play."

 Soundwave just watched the screens, taking note of the participants. So many starving, desperate mechs, so many greying corpses **,** created a maelstrom of destruction in which Kaon was slowly drowning.

 "Sentinel Prime is already demanding action and is more than open for a few nudges into a more militant reaction, than one of aid. Which shouldn't be too difficult, considering that he hasn't ever shown any interest in trade routes and their - ah, what's the politically correct term for it this vorn? Transfer of Ownership? – before." Dark triumph flickered in the senator's optics. "It pays to have a stupid Prime."

 On the screens **,** a big and silvery mech with an ancient weapon in hand was parting the masses. A sword, Soundwave realised and classified the mech as a gladiator. With his other hand, the stranger was dragging a mech along as if he were a puppet. Around him the maelstrom calmed and focused. Soundwave shivered.

 Senator Ratbat was focusing on the same screen and chuckled. "Ah, we are reaching the main point of today's show. Isn't that poor mech crying for help Kaon's mayor?" They both knew it very well was. "What a feeling it must be to be betrayed by one's own subjects so thoroughly."

The silvery mech was raising his weapon, roaring in defiance to the very sky and the crowd cheered. At his pedes the mayor knelt, cowering, weak, helpless.

"That's the beauty of mechs like you, Soundwave. You are coded for steadfast loyalty and wouldn't think of participating or even leading anything as vulgar as a riot. You know better and serve silently by my side. I couldn't demand more."

The gladiator stepped back, and opened his arms wide. Without his words, Soundwave could only guess what his message was, but he certainly didn't fail to deliver, if the delighted, hopeful – happy even – faces surrounding him were anything to judge him by.

A quick strike, and the mayor's life was no more.

"Mmmh, what a disappointing ending, but one with potential. Find out who this mech is, Soundwave. We have much to do."

Ratbat turned and left. Soundwave made to follow him, looking back just once. There the gladiator stood, in the light and surrounded by mechs, radiating hope and change as if he were a messiah.

Loyalty, whispered his processor and Soundwave left the cold room.


End file.
